


toy crane

by kazahaya0



Category: Inazuma Eleven: Ares no Tenbin, Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Getting Back Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-17 04:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20614991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kazahaya0/pseuds/kazahaya0
Summary: “I thought you were avoiding me.” the captain says. He says it carefully, both because it is true but also because Haizaki is a wild creature that he knows will never be tamed much less by him.





	toy crane

"Don't you want to get something to eat first."

"Nah, it's fine, captain."

His face lights up instantly. Haizaki doesn’t utter a word, just looks back at the floor and adjusts his backpack.

“You don’t have to make that kind of face… c-captain.” Mizukamiya hears him muter that one word again. He smiles gleefully.

Haizaki drops the handle of his shoulder bag on the tapestry of the arcade, and it lays like a puddle on the floor. He gets back to his game, pours in a few more yen coins and taps at the screen.

Mizukamiya stares at the claw drawing and moving over the prize plushies. He stares at Haizaki’s pursed lips, the curtain of hair falling on his shoulders. His grip on the machine is tight, and he fumbles again for more spare change in the pocket of his uniform jacket. He curses a bit.

“You know, I can’t do this with you looking at me like that.”

Mizukamiya sighs, and comprehends. He looks away from Haizaki’s face and the noise from all the machines around them blurs itself out.

He feels a bit outside of his element. After all he never tried to ask a kouhai on a date before, he never had to. Haizaki seemed ok about the both of them just hanging out after practice and classes. They would go to the arcade and to the combini, get something quick to eat while sitting near the river and leave. They weren’t dating, none of them was calling it that, but they weren’t _not_ dating either.

He suddenly hears a loud thump and what seems to be a quick fumbling noise as Haizaki grabs his shoulder bag in a rush, muttering through closed lips.

“You didn’t win anything?”

“What do you think?”, he mutters.

“We can get something to drink if you want, there is a new boba place--“

“I want to go home. Sorry captain.”

Mizukamiya nods but his throat goes dry a bit. He follows Haizaki until the exit, right where the cool air conditioner air turns into blazzing heat.

“Sorry.” He repeats again, a grip on his shoulder bag. They’re on the street now and the crowd quickly swallows them and makes them invisible again. “I got mad but it’s nothing important. It’s just a dumb plush doll.”

“I know you like those a lot. It’s okay, better luck next time.”

Mizukamiya has seen the same bear on pretty much all of Haizaki’s belongings. He knows he collects them. It’s a cute trait.

Haizaki doesn't answer, just bites at his lower lip like he sometimes does.

They pass by cafés, combinis, restaurants and ramen places and Mizukamiya wants to change the subject badly, he wants to grab Haizaki’s hand so their time isn’t over yet. Just a little longer, he wishes. But Haizaki is still in a mood and Mizukamiya decides not to speak.

“You don’t have to come with me to the arcade if you don’t want.”

“What?”

“You just follow me around...”

“I wanted to spend more time with you.”

Haizaki stares at the floor again, biting his lip, like it was too embarrassing to hear, and Mizukamiya’s face glows red.

"Why..."

“You know why.”

“I do...”

“Then if you don’t want me to, I won’t anymore. I’m not spying on you so you avoid getting into trouble. I trust you, but... I also like spending time with you, because I like you.”

“I know.”

“So… if you don’t want me to go with you, just say so.”

“It’s not that I don’t want you to not go. I just don’t know what to say or do.”

Haizaki looks a bit like he has been cornered. This is all new especially for him, and maybe he finds hanging out with his team captain a bit like walking around with a babysitter. Mizukamiya is patient and understanding however, and knows when it is time to let go.

“You don’t have to do anything special. It’s fine Haizaki, I’m sorry I pressured you.” He sighs. The sun is setting. “I need to get home and work on some training menus. I will see you at practice okay?”

He leaves without much fanfare and without checking Haizaki’s face one last time. His chest hurts.

The sound of the cicadas is brutally loud.

Haizaki is terrible at conversations and terrible at feelings, and Mizukamiya thinks he has too many of those feelings himself.

He goes to bed late, keeps burying his head in books and lists and school plans, so he doesn’t feel the heartache creeping on his chest.

* 

Haizaki is late for practice the next day, and the one after that. He is extra polite when speaking to Mizukamiya to the point his other team mates raise some eyebrows. Polite yes, but meek. That wildness hidden away, somewhere deep not to cause any further troubles with his upperclassman. But Mizukamiya understands.

Mizukamiya stays behind after everyone leaves for the showers, cleaning up the court and writing down some new tactics. He should be wasting his time with this, school, soccer, entrance exams... but Haizaki has long been a constant on his mind. 

* 

“Oi, took you long enough.”

Mizukamiya doesn’t understand and stares at Haizaki as he stares back from their school’s gates. The sun is setting and his hair falls in wet strands from showering, now drying out in the hot summer air, leaving an aroma all around him. Haizaki’s face looks bored from waiting but Mizukamiya sees it, that little glint in his eyes.

“I thought you were avoiding me.” the captain says. He says it carefully, both because it is true but also because Haizaki is a wild creature that he knows will never be tamed much less by him.

Haizaki looks ashamed, runs a hand over his long hair.

“I … mi--”

Mizukamiya nearly wants to pitch in, to close in that word. He feels a drop of sweat going from the top of his wet hair to his chin, and cleans it with the back of his hand.

“I was stupid the other day, sorry. I like... that… you like to spend time with me. Sorry I go to arcades so much.”

“No, I like going to those with you. I like when I see you enjoy something, it makes me happy.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Like the way you sometimes get during practice. Or at the arcade or even when we stand by the vending machines and you tell me about your day. Thank you for letting me be your… friend.”

His heart jumps a little at that last word. That’s not the word he meant to use at all.

Haizaki notices it, like he smelt it off Mizukamiya’s blushing face. Haizaki’s smile is sly in return.

“Let’s go.”

*

They find a little spot near the bridge, over the river where a red vending machine shines through. They have a pretty nice view of the city and its lights brightening up with the twilight hour, and it feels a bit like a island, with them towering over the river and the sleepy streets.

Haizaki is already pouring in a couple coins in and the machine makes a noise as he takes one bottle and one can from it.

He takes a seat next to Mizukamiya on the wooden bench.

“Here. You like this brand of green tea right?”

“Yes it’s okay. Thank you.” He nods politely, flattered at the other boy remembering such a small thing. Haizaki sips from his strawberry milk can.

Both don’t say much for a while. But Haizaki finds Mizukamiya’s hand and leaves it there.

*

Next day after school they agree to meet at the arcade again. Haizaki is already punching the glass of the machine and cursing at it when Mizukamiya comes in and finds him.

“Hey.” He says softly, and then, as if challenging him, he smirks “I thought you were good at this?”

“Ah! I am! I will get it this time.”

“Why do you want that one so badly? Don’t you have enough kumazous already?”

Haizaki rolls his eyes at him. But Mizukamiya is happy. He isn’t walking on eggshells anymore, and Haizaki isn’t hiding from him anymore either.

“This one is special. I want it.”

And something about that last part is too intense, Mizukamiya swallows and looks to the side.

“Well. Can I try it?”

“Huh?”

“I want to help you get it if you want it so badly. Can I try it?”

Haizaki nods and Mizukamiya is already rolling up his sleeves. He was never one to gamble a lot. He got a few popular games on his phone his classmates told him to play and he enjoys those alright, but this is different and he isn’t one to say no to a challenge.

He stares at the claw crane and the mountain of brown bear plushies in front of him and drops in a few coins. The music jingle starts up and he feels Haizaki jerk nervously next to him.

The claw drops, the claw raises, it barely touches the bears, it grabs one, it lets it go. More change and Mizukamiya tries again.

“This is hard!”

“Yeah it is!”

“I think I understand why you spend so long in these places now…”

“They make it to be addictive.”

“Why can’t I grab one! They’re keychains, why isn’t the claw grabbing at one…”

Mizukamiya laughs nervously on his multiple tries, overwhelmed at his lack of skill. But he doesn't feel as embarassed as he normally would. Haizaki is smiling with him too, a cute, soft smile.

“That’s okay captain.”

Mizukamiya’s shoulders drop and he raises both hands in defeat at the colorful musical machine.

“I’m hungry. Do you want to grab something?"

*

They finish for the day and end up getting the new flavour at the newly opened boba shop. Neither Mizukamiya nor Haizaki end up enjoying it much. But Haizaki is happy, smiling to himself when he thinks his captain isn’t looking and Mizukamiya’s heart jumps again when he sees it. Because Haizaki is a wild creature and Mizukamiya knows he won't be the one taming him, nobody will. But at least for now he is happy to be the one he is smiling at that way.

*

The next day Haizaki pulls at Mizukamiya’s shirt during practice.

“Haizaki? What is it?”

“Coach said to get you for inventory.”

"Okay."

They leave the field into the darkened hallways of their soccer team locker, pass the showers and the main room. He grabs Mizukamiya’s arm quickly and hides both of them in the cabinet where they keep unused sports and cleaning material.

“Haizaki, what--?”

“I wanted to give you this.”

What Haizaki blurts out is quick and brute sounding, his voice rough but small and Mizukamiya barely has time to register the heavy blush on the other boy’s face, as he locks their lips together. They drop on the floor, knocking over a few buckets and brooms on the way down.

Haizaki’s lips are chapped from the wind and sun, his hands run through Mizukamiya’s hair roughly. He isn’t forceful, but like anything Haizaki-ish, he is wild and feral. He has never done this before, but neither has Mizukamiya, so at this time, they're equals.

Mizukamiya’s hands drop to his kouhai’s shoulders and run through his hair. That big mane of untamed grey hair he has always wanted to touch.

He licks at Haizaki's lips when they part. Haizaki’s eyes are determined and there is a fire in them Mizukamiya has never seen before. All he can hear is both their breathing and heart beats, filling the room like drums.

“I…”

“Haizaki…”

Haizaki gets on his feet, fumbles at the pocket of his blue shorts and takes out something from it. He grabs Mizukamiya’s hand and closes the thing inside.

“Sorry captain. W-we should go back. I will go back now.”

He leaves – actually, he runs – out of the cabinet back into the sunlight, back to the world they left behind after the kiss. Leaving Mizukamiya holding on to the small gift in his hands. His head is dizzy from kissing, his heart is louder than any cicadas, the cabinet seems hotter than the summer heat.

He prepares himself mentally to join his peers. Closes his eyes and steadies his breathing. What was that new technique they were practicing? What was that new training menu he proposed? Oh anyway… it will come back eventually. But it feels like they left practice years ago.

He holds on to the tiny kumazou bear keychain against his chest and gets up.


End file.
